A Dormaa-Ahenkro Circuit Court in the Bono Region has granted a ¢‎40,000 bail to two accused persons charged with illegal logging of trees.

The two accused, Kwaku Daniel, 29, a chainsaw operator and Joseph Kumah, 23, an assistant chainsaw operator were to provide two sureties to be justified and will reappear in court on May 4, 2023.

They have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime and engaging in illegal logging in the Mpameso Forest near Dormaa-Ahenkro.

Daniel pleaded not guilty to four counts of conspiracy to commit a crime.

Harvesting timber (utile tree also known as rosewood) valued at ¢18,000 without authorisation, subjecting forest produce to a manufacturing process without authority and using an unregistered chainsaw to convert timber into lumber without authority, while Kumah, also pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecuting officer, Police Chief Inspector Timothy Ahiaduvor, told the court presided over by Samuel Djanie Kotey that, the complainant was a concession guard of Adras Timber Company Limited owning a timber concession in part of the Mpameso Forest reserve.

He said at about 6 am hours on Sunday, March 26, 2023, whilst the complainant and his colleagues were on their routine patrols within the concession, they met the accused persons with a chainsaw machine.

The prosecution said the accused persons were then arrested while the chainsaw machine was seized and the matter was reported to the Police.

He said during investigations, the Police realised the accused persons were cutting a utile tree when the chainsaw machine developed a fault and therefore slept in the forest waiting for their accomplice, K. Fosu to bring a new chainsaw carburettor from Diabaa in the Dormaa West District of which resulted to their arrest.

Mr Ahiaduvor said after Police investigations the accused were charged with the offences.